The crew of the Pretio in this week's episode:
Ne'vets Aharo - Exotic animal broker, both legal and otherwise, majority owner in the Pretio.
Tarrie Prolek- Human pilot "under contract" to fly the Pretio, and drive the Piscopo. Brother of potential terrorist, rebel Latorna Savvn. His climbing skills are suspect, but his dance moves are above par. Edging a dangerous lifestyle of drugs, booze, and loose women.
Frokazza - Wookie co-pilot and friend of Tarrie, with a rare Wookie skin condition, but the strength of ten banthas.
Duk'k - Sipsk'ud Bounty Hunter, recently rescued by the crew. Offering his services in order to get off this barely existing hunk of mud. His warning shots are dead center mass kill shots.
Destination: Palantir
Ne'vets Aharo and his crew and his crew
Have been tasked to find the elusive
Devorian Snow Cat, and deliver it
to the planet Palatntir, a world where
an Imperial embargo has been estatblished.
No true commercial is permitted onto or
Off of the planet.
So how is the emboldened exotic animals dealer
get the critter on planet without any issue
Paper work, and a lot of luck might help...
For the crew of the Pretio, obtaining a Devorian Snow Cat was pretty easy, getting it to its destination was going to be a bit tougher.
En route to Devoran and subsequently the destination, Palantir, the crew was still actively figuring out a way to deliver to Devorian Snow Cat. The Imperial ban on commerce to and from the planet was quite draconian, and basic smuggling on an animal wasn't their normal modus operandi.
Duk'k decided it was best if he claimed to be in search of a bounty, specifically a Rodian woman named Ti'ana Riata. Her last known location was a system or two away from Palantir. Her background as a fledgling actress made a visit to Palantir more believable. Besides the planet plummeting in to a sudden ice age, it was also known for making low quality holo-vids, so here appearing on planet following her dreams seemed somewhat believable.
Frokazza countered that with a suggestion of gentle sabotage of their own ship, to give an excuse to land on the planet and stay awhile. Necessary repairs shouldn't fall under the Imperial ban, or so he hoped.
Of course, this was chump change to the plan Ne'vets had already set into motion. He had spent hours with Devoran and Imperial officials to legally make the Devorian Snow Cat his personal Emotional
Comfort Creature. He was more worried if he could keep the role of the distraught and anxious man, desperately caring for a wild animal to keep him calm.
Entering Palantir space, a small Star Destroyer could be seen far off to the opposite side of the planet, but they were only hailed by Palantir Planetary Control.
On the third request for credentials, the Wookie looked over to Tarrie, who should have been pressing the buttons to transmit them. The pilot was unconscious sprawled out across his side of the console. Frokazza quickly transmitted the codes and safely flew down to the surface of the planet.
The starport on the planet was quite empty, even made more desolate with the barely above twilight light, and spitting snow on a day that corresponded with late spring on the planet.
Upon landing, Tarrie woke up in shocked. "Everything's good, Frokazza, why hasn't control confirmed receipt of our credentials?"
The Wookie just shook his head and roared, "I think you need some caf."
As Tarrie stumbled to the lounge for a much needed cup, there was an anticipated knock on the ramp.
"Hello 'dere. Customs!"
Lowering the ramp, a human and a Sullustran came aboard. The human did most of the talking.
"Hello 'der, I'm Wedge, this is Nutella. Palantir Customs. Just in case you guys don't know, there's no commercial activity allowed going in.... or going out. I'm not lookin' for a bribe, cause a bribe is a commercial transaction. Wouldn't want that big wedge in the sky to need to come down and give us what for. There's only one Big Wedge allowed on planet," he said in a serious tone, pointing his thumbs at himself for the final sentence.
Ne'vets tugged on Duk'k's arm, "These guys make me nervous." He wrung his hands and shuffled his feet over towards the cargo hold with the snow cat.
Duk'k stood between the customs officials and the retreating Ne'vets, "Pay no attention to him, guys, he's a little touched and going for his comfort beast."
"Comfort beast? Wedge looked at Frokazza, "Is that guy the comfort beast, you're a big fella?"
Frokazza cried in protest.
Duk'k tried to interrupt, "No, we have a Devorian Snow Lion in the cargo hold, Mr Aharo's personal property. All the paperwork is on one these datapads."
"A Snow Lion, that's mighty impressive."
"Maybe it's a Snow Tiger, or a Snow Feline," Regardless, Snowball is Ne'vet's property.
Wedge shuffled his feet and followed Ne'vets into the cargo hold
Ne'vets reached the freezing hold and made it to the cage with the Devorian Snow Cat in it. Despite the freezing temperatures and a temperamental wild cat, he was able to control it enough, and avoid its attacks and the piles of hardening goop all around the cage. (Ne'vets rolled a 29. Looks like success for them... eventually.)
Between the creature emitting its green goop (missing Ne'vets) and the impecaable paperwork, they were given clearance to leave the ship, and reminded of the commercial ban in place.
With that, the customs officials left, and crew cleaned up the Snow Cat one more time, washed down the cage, and took the Piscopo to a small mansion just outside of the starport.
They arrived at the home of one Mister Trask Kimble. A security module popped out of the wall at the outer gate, Frokazza introduced them, and by some miracle, they were let in.
Once allowed in, everyone admired the palatial mansion, yet could not figure out why it seemed so familiar.
 |
| Trask Kimble |
Once he got the crew to sit down, Trask pushed a case over to Ne'vets. Inside was a wide assortment of various currencies, including Mon Calamari Flan. The cost of the animal was 6,000 credits, inside was 7k.
"I appreciate the critter very much. You guys are flying empty on the way home, I could fill the ship up for ten. "
"With what?"
"I... I got some friends who need an excursion..."
"An excursion to where?"
"Off planet, it's allowed, except their luggage doesn't fit in the compartment, if you catch my drift."
"No chemicals or dangerous weaponry, right?"
"Nothing to worry about unless you're the moral majority. I can give them a call, you can meet with tomorrow afternoon. Guaranteed 10K."
With that, the crew bid Trask adieu and returned to the Pretio to await further instructions.
Ne'vets ordered Frokazza to take care of some issues aboard the Pretio, and gave Duk'k and Tarrie the rest of the night off. Tarrie immediately thought of hitting a cantina, but Ne'vets thought the wiser, forcing Duk'k to chaperone him, take in the local rumors, and bring back the pilot in one piece.
By the time Frokazza made his necessary repairs, Tarrie and Duk'k had already returned. Tarrie was nearly 100% coherent, so Duk'k had succeeded in only warming him up for a regular night of drinking. Both seemed quite buddy-buddy from their time together and the Wookie developed a bit of a jealous streak.
Seeing his friend, Tarrie gave him a big hug, "Hey, buddy.... can't bring you anything back from the cantina. There's rules... stupid rules. This planet's too cold, I'm going to warm up my balls in the room." And with that he staggered off.
Duk'k gave the Wookie and acknowledging nod and search the pantry for a space salisbury steak dinner.
The pantry door was quickly slammed shut, narrowly crushing Duk'k's fingers. The looming image of a perturbed Wookie stood over the bounty hunter.
Frokazza growled, "Hey, whatta doing with my boy Tarrie?"
"We had a drink."
"You had a drink, whad'you guys talk about?"
Duk'k sensed some hostility from the Wookie, but he seemed more than a jerk than anything.
"I didn't realize you guys were exclusive. That's not how I swing, and I don't think we'd be compatible in numerous ways."
"He's not my boyfriend, he's my friend. I'm just looking out to him. He's done a lot for me."
"He needs somebody to look out for him, otherwise he'd hamper the team.... Everything's fine. Can I have my Salisbury Steak now?"
Frokazza gave a knowing smile, letting Duk'k to sit in the lounge and eat his meal.
"Ooh, double cobbler."
"I like the ones with the brownie."
"And that's why we're not full friends yet..."
Next: #51 Double Feature
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